1952 Map of Clay Hills 3 SW

About this map

Navajo Indian Reservation lands dominate this mid-century topographic study, which provides a detailed look at the complex desert landforms along the border of San Juan County, Utah, and Arizona. The landscape is defined by massive formations such as Hoskinnini Mesa and Wetherill Mesa, separated by the deep drainage of Copper Canyon. A single Trail is mapped winding across the northern plateau, suggesting the sparse infrastructure of the region during the early 1950s. Hydrological features like East Copper Creek and a small Reservoir represent the critical water sources in this arid environment. Significant landmarks like Jacobs Monument serve as navigational anchors amidst the intricate contour lines of the canyons, recorded just as aerial photography was beginning to refine the mapping of these more isolated reaches of the American Southwest.